My+AMAZING+Trip+to+Berlin

While I was in Germany, my mother, sister, aunt, and I took a trip to Berlin. We traveled by ICE, a high-speed German train that is better compared to the normal trains. My dad couldn't come with us to Germany, but he's been to Berlin many times, so he told me what I should go see. I'm going to do a countdown of my favorite moments in Berlin.

Pictures coming soon!

=8. Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtnis Kirche= This is a old church built by order of Emperor William II, in honor of his grandfather, Emperor William I. It was bombed by the British during World War II during an air raid. While it was interesting to see it, I didn't really enjoy my visit to it.

=7. Schloss Charlottenburg= This castle is beautiful, and is lucky to not have been damaged from the war. I especially liked the lake/river in the garden behind the castle. Now, you may think of a big fortress when you hear castle, but this is more like Buckingham Palace, except it is now only a tourist attraction.

=6. Reichstag= Formerly Bundestag, this is pretty much the congress building of Germany. My dad showed me pictures of how it looked in 1989, so it was interesting to see how it looked now. It's windows have been restored, and a glass dome has been added to the top.

=5. Potsdam= This is an area that is basically American. It has the Kohlhoff-Tower, a building much like one that would have been built in the 1920s. If you went about 5800 miles west, you'd be in Hollywood/Los Angeles, making Berlin their sister city in a way. There's also the Sony Center, Lego Discovery Center, and the DB (Deutsche Bahn/German Railway) Building.

=4. Siegesäule= A giant memorial marking the victory of a German war with France. This was great, but the climb to the very top is very exhausting, and if you have a fear of heights or are claustrophobic, don't walk up to he top. It's crowded, and it's very high. It is slightly damaged from war, because at the bottom are small holes from guns being fired at it.

=3. Soviet Memorial= The memorial is in a weird place. It's in west Berlin, not east where the Soviet sector was. I don't know why but that's where it is. My dad told me I should see it, and I'm glad I got to.

=2. Brandenburger Tor= The last of the Berlin city gates, back when Berlin was smaller. It is the most remarkable, because it was built on //Unter den Linden,// a boulevard that linden trees grew on and led straight to the homes of Prussian monarchs. It was damaged but restored 2000-2002. It is considered a symbol to represent all of Germany, not just Berlin.

=And now for my favorite place, give it up for...=

=Checkpoint Charlie= The most famous checkpoint (this is a U.S. checkpoint) of all Germany, it is known that many people managed to get themselves and their children to the west. A house that is famous for helping people escape is now a museum, which talks about not only the checkpoint, but other escapes and events in a divided Germany. It is known that Soviet and U.S. tanks would stand on their sides of the border aimed at each other.

That was my trip to Berlin, and i hope to go again. Pictures coming soon!